Turbine systems are widely utilized in fields such as power generation. For example, a conventional gas turbine system includes a compressor section, a combustor section, and at least one turbine section. The compressor section is configured to compress air as the air flows through the compressor section. The air is then flowed from the compressor section to the combustor section, where it is mixed with fuel and combusted, generating a hot gas flow. The hot gas flow is provided to the turbine section, which utilizes the hot gas flow by extracting energy from it to power the compressor, an electrical generator, and other various loads.
The combustor sections of turbine systems generally include tubes or ducts for flowing the combusted hot gas therethrough to the turbine section or sections. Recently, combustor sections have been introduced which include tubes or ducts that shift the flow of the hot gas. For example, ducts for combustor sections have been introduced that, while flowing the hot gas longitudinally therethrough, additionally shift the flow radially or tangentially such that the flow has various angular components. These designs have various advantages, including eliminating first stage nozzles from the turbine sections. The first stage nozzles were previously provided to shift the hot gas flow, and may not be required due to the design of these ducts. The elimination of first stage nozzles may eliminate associated pressure drops and increase the efficiency and power output of the turbine system.
However, such designs of combustor sections have various disadvantages. For example, the temperature of the hot gas flowed into and through the turbine system is increased due to the elimination of the first stage nozzles. This is because leakage of cooling flows from the first stage nozzles is eliminated. However, other components of the turbine section, such as various other stages of nozzles, the various stages of buckets, and the various stages of shrouds, are subjected to these increased temperatures. Without sufficient cooling, these components may be damaged or may fail during operation of the turbine system.
Accordingly, an improved turbine system would be desired in the art. Specifically, a turbine system that includes improved apparatus for allowing the various components of the turbine section to withstand higher temperatures and for use with a transition duct would be advantageous.